Remington R51 – Not a looker, but why care?

I’m not a big fan of winter, or winter sports, nor the Winter Olympics. However, the Super Bowl is but a memory and baseball doesn’t start for several months, and let’s face it, the Olympics ARE a big deal.   There is an Olympic shooting sport, which was televised this year.   So, being iced in this week in Atlanta, I’m spending an inordinate amount of time watching luge, snowboarding and speed skating.  (Not so much figure skating but I did see the guy with the shoulder holster.)  And while I do root for Team USA, I really find myself rooting for any athlete who is a good competitor, regardless of country, race, or sexual preference.  Be good at your sport and be a good sport, then you’ve got my vote.

During commercials I’m surfing the Internet for gun related items; reloading components, holsters and new guns.  Like the new Remington R51.   I’m reading the reviews on many of the forum threads.  One thing that sticks out about the R51 is eventually, in every discussion, someone (maybe everyone) will mention its looks.   I haven’t done any empirical research but I don’t think as much has been said about a gun’s looks since the introduction of the Glock.  (Actually, I think people still talk a lot about the Glock’s looks  and Gaston cries all the way to the bank every month.)

Most people either like the R51’s looks or hate them.  People post things like, “it’s a fairly ugly gun…” or “Maybe it will look better in person!”2 or “It looks like something Ming the Merciless would carry.”

Many mention it has a space age look and how it resembles its ancestral roots and it reminds them of the Makarov or the Whitney Wolverine.   But, is that how we should judge this gun?

Now I rooted for and appreciated Julia Lipnitskaia’s figure skating performance, regardless that she skates for Team Russia. I tip my hat to German gold medalist Natalie Geisenbergerto for the fastest luge times.  I don’t care about their nationality, or their race, how they look or anything else.  What I care about is how they perform.  And shouldn’t that be the same with the R51?  With any gun, actually? What is its function?  What “sport,” what niche, is the R51 designed to fill?  One wouldn’t expect Natalie to figure skate nor Julie to luge.  By the same measure the R51 shouldn’t be expected to compete in USPSA.  It’s the function and performance within its intended application that’s important.

I can admire the STI unlimited guns. I can appreciate Turnbull’s amazing creations. But I’ll probably not buy any of those products.  They do not fill any needs for me.  I do appreciate and applaud their designs and execution.  And there is nothing wrong with buying an object-d-arte.   I’m sure someone will do a gold in-lay engraving on an R51 eventually.    If that floats your boat, go for it.   But it seems to me far too many are criticizing new guns in general, and the R51 in particular, based on their looks and not their function.  And for some reason the retro, space age look  automatically gets ten points down, regardless of its intended purpose.  It seems to me that everything about the exterior look of the R51 helps it meet its intended purpose, concealed carry.   Instead of putting it down because of looks they should be lauding it.

I want to own one for no other reason than to wring it out; to test its meta and to have it prove it’s a worthy contender for concealed carry.   I have a 1,000 rounds of ammo just waiting to shoot through one.  I want to carry it, abuse it, torture it and see how it does.  There hasn’t been a really new pistol design produced in decades.  Yes, I know this is based on a 100 year old design, but it hasn’t been on the market for almost that long, so it’s a “new” concept against the current market.  I think Remington is being a good sport and I’m hoping the R51 will be good at its “sport.”

About the Author:
Alfred Sauvé is an all around shooter and reloader.  Having been introduced to shooting by his father at a very young age, he has an attitude of, “if it goes ‘bang’ I want to try it.”  Alfred started reloading when Herter’s was the biggest name in reloading equipment and has worked his way from a hammer and die, to hand tools, to progressive reloaders.  A second generation American, he holds the principles of the founding fathers as manifested in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights as sacred documents.    A veteran of the Vietnam War era, he was assigned to the USAF 437th Minuteman Wing and was a member of the USAF special recovery team.   Always interested in a different ways to shoot, he has competed in bowling pin, bullseye, PPC, IHMSA, GSSF, USPSA and IDPA.